The Cake Slice: Pina Colada Cake

The Cake Slice Bakers has done it again! Another great cake from the book we are baking from for a year: Sky High: Irresistible Triple-Layer Cakes. And a perfect cake to celebrate the beginning of summer.

The cake is a lovely interpretation of a tropical drink that combines pineapple juice and coconut milk and boozed up with rum. (Although I made this cake sans booze because of my kids -- it's a virgin cake!) The layers are baked using brown sugar and buttermilk which made them tender and moist. Then moistened some more with a mixture of equal parts pineapple juice and coconut milk (my substitute for rum) before being layered with a jam-like filling of crushed pineapple cooked down with freshly-squeezed lime juice and vanilla.

The cake was frosted with coconut buttercream which gave me some trouble. It also didn't help that I was not making it in my kitchen and had to rely on my in-law's hand mixer (my Kitchen-Aid had made me a spoiled girl. :) ) On my first try, the sugar syrup seized up on me but I still added it to my egg whites which made it lumpy so decided to start over. Second try, the sugar syrup came out okay but when I added the butter, it made me nervous since it wouldn't hold together -- it looked all curdled! I whipped for more than ten minutes and the butter was getting warm so I put in the fridge for several minutes and thought about starting again.

While I was waiting for another batch of sugar syrup to boil, I decided to take the bowl out of the fridge and whip again. After a few minutes, it came together (YAY) so added the coconut milk. (I left out the coconut extract since I don't like the strong smell.) The cake was quickly frosted and served to my patiently-waiting family.


The Pina Colada cocktail usually comes with a paper umbrella so I borrowed that idea when it came to decorating the cake, complete with a chunk of fresh pineapple and cherry. I used a 1M tip when I piped the dots of frosting on top. The sides of the cake was pressed with lightly-toasted coconut shavings.


(My in-laws couldn't make it to his birthday so they decided to throw another party for him. Lucky boy!)

The cake tasted just like a pineapple-upside down cake with added coconut flavor from the frosting. One bite from my brother-in-law and he exclaimed "Hey, this tastes just like Mom's!" Apparently, my mother-in-law baked a pineapple cake so great, she got orders for them. So stories were told on how my MIL would be baking several cakes every day. This happened about 30 years ago so it was fun to hear stories and how food triggers memories.


So guess what, my brother turned 40 three days ago and I baked this cake again per his request. I played around a bit and used Buttermilk Spongecake (page 68) and lightened the pineapple filling with a little freshly-whipped cream and it was a hit, too! Today is my cousin's birthday (Happy Birthday, Katie!) and I'm baking them in cupcake form as I *speak*. I used two different cupcake liners so I can put rum on one and have the other "virgin." More pics later, maybe.

Please stop by my fellow Cake Slice Bakers for their lovely interpretation of this wonderful cake. Print the recipe as well, give it a try and let me know how you like it. Now let's go to the beach!

Blueberry and Coconut Mochi Cake

When I saw this recipe from The Food Librarian, I knew it was something I wanted to make right away. So Mother's Day weekend, while the kids were off watching their Saturday morning cartoons (btw, do other kids still do that these days? Mine do 'cause we got rid of cable), I was left alone uninterrupted in the kichen which ended in me making four different baked goods. This was one of them.

When I was gathering my ingredients, I noticed I didn't have enough frozen blueberries (I only had a cup's worth). But I noticed I had a bag of grated fresh coconut I picked up from the Filipino market months ago. Since I didn't feel like going to the store (I was still in pajamas ), figured I make this substitution.



I placed the blueberries on one side and the grated coconut on the other as you can see from my before and after pictures. I didn't combine the two fruits together since I wanted to taste the recipe as originally written. (Also, if for some reason the coconut part didn't work out, I'd still have half of a good cake.) :)

But I shouldn't have worried for both parts came out okay. The blueberries gave the mochi an extra sweetness as you chew into the mochi. The grated coconut gave it a little snappy crunchy texture to give your mouth a break from all the soft chewiness that is mochi. You know the middle part of the cake where both fruits meet was actually my favorite since all the textures and flavors were all there in one bite.



I cut them into truffle-size pieces, packed them in some truffle boxes, tied a bow around them and handed them out to all the mothers in my family. (My cousin got one, too even though she's not a mom yet but just because she's my favorite. Right, Katie?)


Please hop on over to The Food Librarian for the recipe. And feel free to improvise, you'll just may be delighted with what you create.

The Cake Slice: Mile-High Devil's Food Cake

It was my youngest son's birthday this month and all he ever wanted was a treasure chest birthday cake. He got this idea from a kid's cookbook his brother borrowed from the library months ago. As soon as he saw the picture, he told me right away he wanted a "pirate cake" (as he calls it) for his birthday. For weeks, he would ask me if I remember the cake from the cookbook and he would tell his brothers how cool it would be. I couldn't disappoint the little guy.

I've never constructed a "pirate cake" before and never thought I would but I guess, that's one of the little perks motherhood gives you. :) I baked the cake in a sheet pan, cut it into four pieces and layered three to create the base of the treasure chest; the fourth piece was used as the cover.

This month's cake had our choice from two frostings: Brown Sugar 7-Minute Frosting or Brown Sugar Buttercream. I chose the 7-minute frosting. After I frosted the cake, all my boys (husband included) helped put all the treasures in the cake and I think we went a little overboard (excuse the pun). Chocolate coins, rock candies, ring pops and candy necklaces galore! I even got some candy-coated chocolate chunks that looked just like pebbles and scattered them around the base. It's too bad I couldn't give you guys a better picture, I didn't realize my camera battery died. My sister to the rescue and took pictures with her iphone. This was the most decent one.

The cake was delicious, very chocolate-y and felt light in your mouth. The frosting was sweet like caramel with a hint of molasses. Another cake I'm sure I will be making again. I'd like to use the other frosting (buttercream) with this and compare. I'm sure I'd love it, too! Please visit my fellow bakers at The Cake Slice Bakers for their lovely creations.

Print recipe for Mile-High Devil's Food Cake

Meyer Lemon Poppy Seed Cake with Meyer Lemon Curd

It's been a couple of weeks since I've picked the last of the Meyer lemons from my tree. So far this season, besides making cake, I've also made sorbet, candied peels, curd, lemonade and meringue with them. Most of them were eaten right away without having gotten their pictures taken. :(

These pictures were actually taken the day after I made "Lemon Poppy Seed Cake with Meyer Lemon Mousse" recipe from Tartlette that she posted in January. I adapted the recipe by using Meyer Lemon for the cake as well. I served them for an after-dinner dessert and realized after everyone finished, I never took a single picture!! Has that ever happened to you?


So the next day, I still had cake scraps (from having cut 3-inch circles) from the sheet cake and used a smaller biscuit cutter (1.5-inch) to make these mini ones. They are just two pieces stacked together, the bottom brushed with some syrup and the top one cut out with a hole (like a donut) so I can spoon some Meyer lemon curd in it. I used Meyer Lemon curd here since whatever leftover mousse I made the day before were completely polished off by my boys (husband included!) .


Having also been inspired by Tartlette's awesome photographs, I got a little artsy here (haha). It's probably better I didn't get to take picture of the mousse since I don't think I can make it look as good as Tartlette's. :P

Meyer Lemon Poppy Seed Cake
adapted from Tartlette

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 cup sugar
1 Tbsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 cup egg whites (about 3)
3/4 cup milk
1/4 cup Meyer lemon juice
grated zest of one Meyer lemon
1 Tbsp. poppy seeds
1 stick (8 oz.) butter, melted

Preheat oven to 300F.
Line a 9x13 inch pan with parchment paper, lightly spray with cooking spray and set aside.
In a medium bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt and set aside.
In a separate bowl combine the egg whites and the milk.
Make a well in the center of the flour mixture and slowly pour in the egg white mixture while stirring with a whisk.
Add the poppy seeds and melted butter. Whisk until smooth.
Pour batter in the prepared pan and bake for 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes back clean. Let cool.

Meyer Lemon Syrup:
In a small saucepan set over low heat dissolve 1/4 cup Meyer lemon juice in 1/4 cup of water with a couple of tablespoons of sugar. Let cool to room temperature and brush the cake rounds with the syrup.

Meyer Lemon Curd:
makes about a cup

3 whole eggs
2 egg yolks
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon of freshly squeezed Meyer lemon juice (about 4 lemons)
grated zest of three Meyer lemons
4 tablespoons of unsalted butter, at room temp.

Whisk all except butter in a medium non-reactive heat-resistant bowl. Gently heat by placing in a double boiler, whisking until it thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon. Make sure not to boil the mixture.
Pour the mixture through a sieve and stir in the butter.
Cover the curd with plastic film making sure the plastic touches the curd to prevent a skin from forming. Refrigerate until cold.

Seven Layer Gelatin and Yogurt Dessert

(These were taken back in January and finally get to post it. Finally!!)

The title pretty much says it all. A fun dessert my kids (heck, any kid at heart) can not resist.

This dessert can be done a variety of colors. I usually ask my kids to pick what colors they like. They can be done a variety of shapes, too! These ones were simply cut into cubes but I've used different cookie cutters to cut them into other fun shapes -- stars were very popular with my boys. :)

I used this recipe and substituted yogurt for sour cream which makes it a somewhat healthy dessert. And speaking of yogurt, do you make your yogurt? If not, you should give it a try and you'll be hooked. Check out Jude's site for his how-to on homemade yogurt.

I never knew making yogurt was so easy. I let my husband make it since he really enjoys the process. He is like my Alton Brown, putzing around the kitchen with a thermometer talking about proper temperature and such, very cute!

And lastly, make sure your refrigerator is level to make sure you get the stripes to set evenly. If you want more Jello layer recipes and ideas, check out Mary's blog (aka The Food Librarian).

The Cake Slice: Chai Cake with Honey-Ginger Cream

Another great pick by the The Cake Slice Bakers! Chai Cake with Honey-Ginger Cream seems so straight-forward and simple but it tasted so much more delicious than it sounds. I love chai tea and was looking forward to having some in cake form.

The cake used milk infused with chai tea plus an addition of some cinnamon and cardamom which made it a nicely spiced cake. Grinding those cardamom pods sure made the kitchen smell terrific. Even more so while the cakes were baking in the oven.


And no whipped cream frosting this time! This month's cake used icing that combined butter and cream cheese with honey and freshly-grated ginger. The Honey-Ginger Cream looked and had the consistency of condensed milk but tasted just as good if not better.

To go with the Indian-theme of the cake, I used some candy-coated fennel seeds and sprinkled them around the base of the cake and around up on top to give it a little color. I hope it distracts you from my horrible icing job! :)


Please visit the rest of the The Cake Slice Bakers for their lovely interpretation of this delectable cake.

Print recipe for Chai Cake with Honey-Ginger Cream

The Cake Slice: Triple Meyer Lemon Chiffon Cake

I was really looking forward to baking this cake. (I've been voting for this cake to come up on top for a couple months now.) You see, I have a new found love for sweets featuring bright citrus flavors. Ever since I've made desserts with kalamansi several weeks ago, I am hooked!

Sour flavors has always been prominent in savory dishes in Filipino cooking (a great example is sinigang) so I was not used to eating desserts with a sour flavor. I am finding that lemony desserts are very refreshing which just feels light in your mouth when you eat them (so less weight gain?!? :) Ha, I wish!)

This cake was all I expected: light airy cake with a rich tart filling and the creamy whipped frosting ties it all together. Yum! My Meyer lemon tree in the backyard has produced lots of fruits this year so I substituted them for regular lemons asked for the recipe. I also didn't have walnut oil in my pantry so used peanut oil instead. Now I am curious to see any flavor differences the walnut oil makes. I am planning to buy some when I bake this cake again which is soon, probably for Easter celebration -- it's a perfect cake for Spring!

My sister gave me a set of cake stencils last month so wanted to try them. I used this flower stencil and thinly layered some extra Meyer lemon curd on top and some sprinkles.

Please visit the The Cake Slice Bakers for their creations.
Printable recipe: Triple Lemon Chiffon Cake


P.S. I missed out on last month's bake due to work but I just realized I had baked it before as seen here but used a different frosting. I will bake the cake again with the proper frosting and post it.